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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Experimental and Imaging Techniques for Examining Fibrin Clot Structures in Normal and Diseased States
Published on: April 1, 2015
Beneficial effect of cigarette smoking cessation on fibrin clot properties
Ewa Stępień1, Tomasz Miszalski-Jamka, Przemysław Kapusta
1Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Research, John Paul II Hospital, Kraków, Poland. estepien@cm-uj.krakow.pl
Abstract:
To examine the associations between cigarette smoking and preferable clot properties. Plasma fibrin clots from 21 randomly selected current smokers (n = 7), former smokers (n = 7) and non-smokers (n = 7) were analyzed, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). With the use of the turbidimetric clotting and lysis assay in plasma, the maximum absorbance (MaxAbs(C), MaxAbs(L)) was measured and lysis time (Lys(50%)) was calculated. Smoking cessation significantly influenced fibrin fiber branching and density. Median fiber diameter was not changed. Lys(50%) was the highest in current smokers and was reduced in former smokers to the non-smoker level (2120 ± 385 versus 1771 ± 122 and 1724 ± 272 s; P = 0.04). Smoking cessation improves fibrin clot architecture which results in the lesser resistance to lysis.
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